[09/23/05 - 12:00 AM]CBS's Thursday Lineup Opens the New Season in Dominating Fashion

[via press release from CBS]

CBS'S THURSDAY LINEUP OPENS THE NEW SEASON IN DOMINATING FASHION

CBS Posts Its Largest Margin of Victory on a Premiere Thursday Since 1987 While
More Than Doubling NBC's Nightly Viewership

The Premiere of "Criminal Minds" Debuts With Nearly 20 Million Viewers and Tops "ER" Premiere In Viewers and Key Demographics

"Criminal Minds" Is The Week's Most Watched Newcomer

No Stopping "CSI" As The Sixth Season Premieres To Over 28 Million Viewers

CBS dominated the primetime landscape on the first Thursday of the 2005-2006 season as the Network scored its largest margin of victory in all key measures on a premiere Thursday since the advent of people meters in 1987, according to preliminary Nielsen affiliate ratings for Sept. 22.

At 10:00 PM, the special debut of CRIMINAL MINDS won its time period in households (12.6/20), viewers (19.82m), adults 25-54 (8.0/18) and adults 18-49 (6.7/17). CRIMINAL MINDS ranks as the new season's most watched new program.

CRIMINAL MINDS beat the season premiere of "ER" by +35% in households (vs. 9.3/15), +3% in adults 18-49 (vs. 6.5/16) and +10% in adults 25-54 (7.3/17) and by +5.56m viewers (from 14.26m, +39%).

From 9:00-10:00PM, the sixth season premiere of CSI finished first in households (16.9/25), viewers (28.29m), adults 25-54 (11.7/26), adults 18-49 (9.9/24) and adults 18-34 (7.9/21) and is the night's most watched and highest rated program in households, adults 18-34, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

Earlier, SURVIVOR: GUATEMALA easily won its time period with a 10.2/16 with 16.60m viewers, 4.3/14 in adults 18-34, 5.9/16 in adults 18-49 and 7.1/18 in adults 25-54.

SURVIVOR: GUATEMALA beat the hour long season premiere of "Joey" by +82% in households (vs. 5.6/09), +48% in adults 18-34 (vs. 2.9/09), +79% in adults 18-49 (vs. 3.3/09) and +92% in adults 25-54 (3.7/09) and by +8.76m viewers (from 7.84m, +112%) as well as "The O.C." and "Dancing With the Stars Dance-Off."

For the night, CBS was first in households (13.3/21), more than doubled NBC in viewers (21.57m vs. 10.65m), adults 25-54 (8.9/21), adults 18-49 (7.5/19) and adults 18-34 (5.8/17).

Final Thursday ratings will be available this afternoon.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: What follows is the afternoon update with the final national Nielsen ratings.]

CBS'S THURSDAY LINEUP OPENS THE NEW SEASON IN DOMINATING FASHION

CBS Posts Its Largest Margin of Victory on a Premiere Thursday Since 1987 While
More Than Doubling NBC's Nightly Viewership

The Premiere of "Criminal Minds" Debuts With Nearly 20 Million Viewers and Tops "ER" Premiere In Viewers and Key Demographics

"Criminal Minds" Is The Week's Most Watched Newcomer and CBS�s Best Premiering New Series Since �CSI: Miami�

No Stopping "CSI" As The Sixth Season Premieres To Over 29 Million Viewers

CBS dominated the primetime landscape on the first Thursday of the 2005-2006 season as the Network scored its largest margin of victory in all key measures on a premiere Thursday since the advent of people meters in 1987, according to the final national Nielsen ratings for Sept. 22.

At 10:00 PM, the special debut of CRIMINAL MINDS won its time period in households (12.5/20), viewers (19.57m), adults 25-54 (7.8/18) and adults 18-49 (6.5/17). CRIMINAL MINDS ranks as the new season's most watched new program and delivered CBS's best series opener since CSI: MIAMI on 9/23/02.

The sixth season premiere of CSI finished first in households (17.3/26), viewers (29.02m), adults 25-54 (12.1/27), adults 18-49 (10.2/25) and adults 18-34 (8.1/22) and is the night's most watched and highest rated program in households, adults 18-34, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

Earlier, SURVIVOR: GUATEMALA easily won its time period with a 10.3/16 with 16.98m viewers, 4.4/14 in adults 18-34, 6.1/17 in adults 18-49 and 7.3/18 in adults 25-54.

SURVIVOR: GUATEMALA beat the hour long season premiere of "Joey" by +87% in households (vs. 5.5/09), +57% in adults 18-34 (vs. 2.8/09), +85% in adults 18-49 (vs. 3.3/09) and +97% in adults 25-54 (3.7/09) and by +9.17m viewers (from 7.81m, +118%) as well as "The O.C." and "Dancing With the Stars Dance-Off."

For the night, CBS was first in households (13.4/21), adults 25-54 (9.1/21), adults 18-49 (7.6/20), adults 18-34 (5.9/17) and more than doubled second place NBC in viewers (21.91m vs. 10.73m),